"Wifey, we didn't just pick up a turtle-we picked up a treasure-hunting turtle!"
Su Qiuran wheeled herself a little closer, staring at Ingot's dark green shell, which had already returned to its ordinary appearance. A trace of startled doubt flashed through her peach-blossom eyes.
"It swallowed supreme-grade spirit rice and activated its bloodline inscriptions outright, and it can even sense Spirit Stones through half a meter of soil... Lin He, with luck like yours, it's a waste not to buy lottery tickets. This is definitely a spirit beast with a special talent for treasure hunting."
"Who cares what kind of beast it is? Any beast that finds money is a good beast!" Lin He grinned so broadly his eyes all but disappeared. He reached out and patted Ingot's heavy shell. "Ingot, oh, Ingot, that name sure wasn't wasted on you! From now on, if your big brother gets solid food, you'll never have to settle for watery gruel! When you dig up some divine medicine or divine artifact for me someday, I'll get you a gold-rimmed basin!"
"Hiss, hiss-" Ingot seemed to understand. It laboriously raised its thick neck, and even its tiny mung-bean eyes showed a hint of pride.
Goudan, who was gnawing on half a piece of rotten wood nearby, would not stand for that.
"Quack, quack!" It charged over on its short little legs like a fluffy cannonball, knocked Ingot half a foot aside with its rump, then tilted up its fluffy duck head and rubbed frantically against Lin He's trouser leg, wildly staking its claim.
"All right, all right, you're a treasure too-a house-wrecking treasure." Laughing, Lin He nudged Goudan aside.
He stood and rolled his shoulders, the dormant, explosive strength inside him stirring restlessly.
"Since it's done us a great service, we have to improve its treatment. We can't just leave it lying dry in the mud like this. A snapping turtle needs water."
Lin He looked around, grabbed the short-handled machete, and walked to the corner of the backyard near the reed beds. "I'll make it a luxury private room."
With that, the muscles in Lin He's arms suddenly tightened. The machete became a blur, slashing at the ground with a series of swishes. The inhuman strength from his second body tempering erupted in full, and the hard-packed earth was like crumbled tofu in his hands. In less than half an incense stick's time, he had formed a pit two meters across and over half a meter deep.
Then he forcibly dug a shallow channel between the patch of earth and the reed beds, drawing water in from Golden Lake.
Water gushed into the pit, and a small pond was complete.
Lin He kicked Ingot into the pond.
Ingot landed in the water with a splash and immediately paddled its limbs happily. It swam two laps, then found a comfortable hollow in the mud and settled down with only its head showing, utterly content.
"All right, work's done. Time for bed!"
The next morning.
Sunlight spilled through the window lattice onto the wooden table. Su Qiuran had risen early, and after washing up, she was already sitting upright at the table.
She held a freshly steamed supreme-grade spirit rice cake in her left hand while her right leafed through the talisman-making materials Lin He had bought yesterday. Her complexion was rosy, her spiritual power contained within.
"I'm not going out today."
Su Qiuran swallowed the spirit rice cake and brushed the crumbs from her hands. "I need to practice with those two remaining sheets of talisman paper and consolidate my cultivation at Qi Refinement first layer perfection while I'm at it. We're out of rice and salt, so don't go fishing today. Go into town and buy some daily necessities."
"Right away, Commander Su." Lin He put on a coarse-cloth work outfit and tucked the machete into his belt.
He was selling neither spirit seeds nor talismans today, so there was no need to put on that conspicuous black disguise robe. He would just be an ordinary rough fellow from Golden Lake Village.
Lin He sauntered out the door and followed the country road all the way into town.
Once there, he first went to the general store to buy rice, flour, grain, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
As the sun climbed higher, Lin He rubbed his belly and caught the scent of meat drifting from the street corner.
He looked up and found he had unwittingly reached the entrance of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
"Since I'm already here, I might as well eat something better." Lin He grinned and strode over the threshold.
It was not yet mealtime, and there were few customers in the main dining hall.
Lin He chose a seat by the window, tossed his bags onto the bench, and called, "Waiter, bring me a roast chicken, two jin of cooked beef, and a pot of good tea!"
"Coming right up! Just a moment, sir!"
While he waited for his food, the curtain leading to the kitchen lifted, and a plump, rounded figure in a brocade robe emerged, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
It was Shopkeeper Wu of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
Shopkeeper Wu looked up and met Lin He's eyes.
"Oh my! If it isn't young Brother Lin!" Shopkeeper Wu's eyes lit up. He hurriedly stuffed the handkerchief into his sleeve and strode over, his face filled with his signature smooth smile, so sweet it looked as though honey could be squeezed from it. "What a rare guest! What brings you to my little establishment today, young brother? Back from hunting?"
The ten Fanged Spotted Rabbits Lin He had previously sold Shopkeeper Wu had put out the fire burning at his brows, and the two had become somewhat acquainted.
"I'm not hunting anymore. Changed trades." Lin He pointed at the empty seat beside him. "Have a seat, Brother Wu. I've moved to Golden Lake Village now. I fish every day, and with time hanging heavy on my hands, I came into town to buy a few things."
"Golden Lake Village is a good place. Peaceful!" Shopkeeper Wu sat down and personally poured Lin He a cup of tea. He sighed, his smile fading somewhat.
Lin He lifted his cup and took a sip. A thought stirred in his mind, and he deliberately asked in a casual tone, "The Li Household's buying Fanged Spotted Rabbits? Haven't they collected enough yet?"
At the mention of the Li Household, Shopkeeper Wu's expression immediately turned as ugly as if he had swallowed a dead fly. Lowering his voice, he leaned toward Lin He. "They have! Of course they have! They've already extracted the bloodline essence and sent it over that very night to feed their guardian spirit beast!"
"That's a good thing, then." Lin He raised his eyebrows. "Wasn't the spirit beast supposed to undergo atavism and advance?"
"Good, my ass!" Shopkeeper Wu slapped his thigh, trembling with anguish over his losses. "It advanced, all right. I heard it shot straight up to the Foundation Establishment Realm! But... it went mad!"
The teacup in Lin He's hand paused slightly. "Mad? What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like!" Shopkeeper Wu looked utterly miserable, his spittle nearly spraying Lin He's face. "Who knows what got into that spirit beast? After absorbing the bloodline essence, it went berserk on the spot and wouldn't recognize even its own kin! It injured several of the Li Household's elders! The Li Household's heads are scorched and brows singed right now, and the Lin Household and Su Household are fanning the flames from the sidelines!"
Lin He was inwardly alarmed. If a berserk Foundation Establishment Realm spirit beast came running into town, who could stop it?
The more Shopkeeper Wu spoke, the more distressed he became, until even the rims of his eyes reddened. He picked up Lin He's teapot and gulped down a mouthful. "Young brother, tell me, haven't I been wronged? I emptied out my reserves to help the Li Household buy those rabbits. There was an internal assessment among the various shopkeepers of our Drunken Immortal Pavilion, to see who collected the most bloodline essence."
He held out a short, thick finger and waved it in front of Lin He, heartbroken. "Just one! I was just one short! If I could've handed in the essence of one more Fanged Spotted Rabbit, I'd have overtaken first place and become head shopkeeper at the main branch! But now... the spirit beast went berserk, and the assessment was canceled outright! All my hard work over the better part of this month went right down the damn drain!"
Looking at Shopkeeper Wu's expression, as though he had nothing left to live for, Lin He almost failed to hold back a laugh.
He patted Shopkeeper Wu on the shoulder and offered some sham consolation. "Brother, try to take it easy. What's yours by fate will come in the end. For mortals like us, keeping our lives is good enough."
"That's true..." Shopkeeper Wu heaved a long sigh and shook his head.
Just then, the waiter came over with the roast chicken and beef.
The aroma set Lin He's mouth watering.
He tore off a drumstick and took a bite, grease filling his mouth.
Halfway through the meal, he suddenly remembered his wife back home, still writing away furiously.
"Waiter!" Lin He beckoned. "Pack me two portions each of your signature dishes-braised carp, pork knuckle in sauce, and this roast chicken, just like this! I'm taking them home!"
Seeing this, Shopkeeper Wu immediately put on a smile. "Taking some home for your family to try, young brother? Don't worry, I'll give you twenty percent off today!"
"Much appreciated, brother." Lin He readily paid with bits of silver.
Carrying several large food boxes and a pile of daily necessities, Lin He strode out of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
He set off on the road back to Golden Lake Village.